JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that Hurricane Irma caused more than $144 million of damage to private and city property in Jacksonville. City Council members heard the cost estimate Tuesday at a Finance Committee meeting.
The total costs are expected to be much higher once private insurance claims are tabulated.
The damage estimate comes as the city begins temporary repairs to the docks destroyed at Metropolitan Park to temporarily accommodate boaters expected at next week's Florida-Georgia game.
The mayor's office said those dock repairs are expected to cost no more than $40,000.
The city is working to clear debris to accommodate temporary docks within the next 10 days.
"In the next week or so, we are going to have enough docks for 60 boats, which is the same thing (we) had all along," Councilman Tommy Hazouri said. "It’s going to be floating docks on a temporary basis until they come up with a plan for the park."
The city said it continues picking up storm debris. Over 2,800 miles of city streets have been covered over the last three weeks, with about 1,000 more miles still left. The city's goal is to have all the debris removed by Nov. 9.
While the city is still tabulating its total of storm-related expanses, it is still waiting for $26 million in FEMA funds owed from from Hurricane Mathew, which skirted the coast last October.